Safety guard for hinged chutes



United States Patent [72] Inventor EvanS.Prichard Newport Beach, California [21] AppLNo. 777,801

[22] Filed Nov. 21, 1968 [45] Patented Nov.24, 1970 [73] Assignee Challenge-Cook Bros.,lncorporat Industry California a corporation of California [54] SAFETY GUARD FOR HINGED CHUTES 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

51] Int.Cl ..B65 1i/00 [50] Fieldoi'Search l93/2,5, l0;302/37, 10; 198/113, ll4;222/533;74/6l2 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,053,367 9/1962 Lynch 193/10 Primary Examiner-Andres H. Nielsen Anorney- Lyon & Lyon ABSTRACT: -A safety guard mounted at the hinged juncture between a pair of concrete discharge chute sections which prevents ones hand or fingers'from entering between the chute sections and being crushed as the chute sections are brought into alignment.

P'a'tent ed' NOV. 24, 1970 v 3542379 INVENTOR.

EVA/v 5 Baa/MED cordingly,

preceding object,

more extended .cl'iute' sectiori about the mating chute, or fastening a removable outer chute sectionto its mating section.

f y p ot bracke s u v chute. F b adifl ted, to avoid spillage n i u' sually' provided with a flexible skirt'6 which,

. 1 sxrsrvouxitn ronnmcab' cnuTEs BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THEINV ENTION ln the'handlingof concrete from afixed or mobile mixer, it is the practice to use-aseriesof'trough-shaped chutes which are hinged togetherf'either by permanenthinges ordetachable I hinges. The axesof the hinges are:.located adjacenttheside rimsof the chutes'so that thebottom portions: of'the chute troughs move: toward each" other like opposing' jawsas the chute sections'are'broughtintoalignment. Thechute sectionsare relatively heavy so that should onehave his hand 'or fingers between the chute sections, theengaged fingers or hand may bebroken or in'sorn'elcas'es actuallysevered.

The present'invention is a safetyidevice'attachedto one of an attached pair ofchutesections which effectively prevents the placement of one hand or. fingers in the danger area. Ac-

the objectsof thisinv'ention include: I

First, to"provilde a arety' guard for hinged chutes in the form "of a fixed, essentially conical-skirt projecting'outwardly from one ofjth'e chutesfections and clearing the mating. chute a substantial distance so that one cannot insert his hand or fingers between the chutes.

Second, to provide a safety guard, assindicated in the- ,which serves as. a handle in pivoting the 'Third, toproyide safety guard for chutes, which does not interfere withuse of sectional chutes, but actually aids in the manipulationofthe chutes. l

DESCRIPTION or THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a side view Yof a hinged chute incorporating the safety guard, the hingedchute being shown by solid lines in its extended position, by fragmentary broken lines in an intermediate position, and by dotted lines in a folded position.

, FIG 2 is a similar fragmentary side view, showing a removable further chut'e section ina partially folded relation with the extended section ofthe chute shown in FIG. 'I. l I

, FIG. 3 is anfenlarged end view of one of the chute sections, taken from 3-3 ofFlG. 2; FIGJ is an enlarged partial'elevational, partial sectional view, taken within circle 4 of FIG. 1, showing adjacent portions of the chute sectionsas they approach their relatively extended positions. V

spaciFicAriou Hinged 'chutesareu'sed for the conveying of concrete from a mobile or fixed 'co' crete mixer. Typically, suchimix'ers are providedwith adischargelfunnel 1, indicated by;broken'lines attached a mounting: ring 2, preferably arranged so that it may be'rot'ated. The receiving end of a first chutej3 is disposedunder the mounting ring and is provided with flared flanges14 which are connected to the mounting ring so that the angular position of the first or the concrete, the

niounting ri extends into the reeeiving'end ofthe first chute.

The chute ist' 'rough-sliaped, preferably semicylindrical, and "may taper toward its dis chargeend. At'th'e discharge end, th e upper extremities of the side walls are provided witha pairof handlebars 7, to which isattached a second chute 8 having provided with radially outward or laterally extending handle rodsl4'which form pivot elements for a third chute 15. The thirdchute is provided with hook brackets 16, similar to the pivot brackets 9, except that the pivot ends are slotted to form with therods 14 a separable hinge as distinguished from the. fixed hinge formed by the handle bars 7 and the pivot brackets 9.

It is a conventional practice to fold the second chute 8 upon the firstchute3, as indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 1. This is particularly trueif the chutes are mounted on a mobile mixer. If the distance from the mixer hopper l to the point of discharge-offth'e concrete requires, then the third chute 15 or additional chutes are added.

The construction so far described is conventional. When it is desired to rotate-the second chute about the first chute to place them in their extended operating condition, it can readily be'seen that injury to ones hand or fingers-is quite possible if the hand or fingers should be caught between the overlapping ends 10 and 11. The'present invention is directed to a guard which eliminates this hazardous condition. The guard, designated 17, includes a semicircular radial portion 18, welded tothe reinforcing flange 13, a semiconical portion 19 extending radially outward and axially therefrom so as to cover the overlapping end of the adjacent chute or chute section, The-semiconical portion 19 terminates in a marginal head 20. The guard extends peripherally to points close to the pivot brackets 9 or hook brackets 16 and the peripheral extremities are curved, as indicated by 21.

The dimensions of the guard 17 are such that it deflects ones hands or fingers away from the overlapping ends 10 and 11. Furthermore, the guard forms a handle which may be safesemicylindrical sections joined by an essentially diametrically Adjacent its overl apping end 10, the first chute isprovided with asemicircular stop flange 12 and the oyerlappingend 11 ly grasped to effect pivotal movement of a chute section into its extended position with respect to the adjacent chute.

While it is preferred to mount the guard 17 on the relatively extended chute, it should be noted that the guard may be mounted on the preceding chute.

. While particular embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, it is not intended to limit the same to the details of the constructions set forth, but instead, the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the various parts and their relationships as come within the purview of the appended claims.

lclaim:

1. A, guard for a sectional chute having at least two disposed pair of hinges, and movable between an extended position in which adjacent ends of the chute sections overlap and an angularly relation in which said adjacent ends are separated, said guard comprising:

a. a guard member fixed to one of said chute sections and including a guard rim disposed radially outwardly from the region of said overlapping adjacent ends.

. A guard, as defined in claim 1, wherein:

. saidguard member isessentially semiconical having an end of smaller diameter joined to one chute section and an end of larger diameter forming said guard rim and axially overlapping the other chute section.

. A sectional chute comprising:

. at least a pair of trough-shaped chute sections having side walls and confronting ends dimensioned to overlap when the chute sections are in axial alignment;

b. mating hinge'elements at the confronting ends of said chute sections joined to the extremities of said side walls for permitting relative pivotal movement of said chute sections whereby said confronting ends move to and from their overlapping relation; and

c. a guard member fixed to one of said chute sections and terminating in a guard rim disposed radially outwardly chute section rotates aboutthe end thereof; and

b. said guard is secured to the rotatable chute section.

6. A sectional chute, as defined in claim 3, wherein:

a. said hinge elements form a separable hinge to permit removal of one ofthe chute sections; and

b. said guard is secured to the removable chute section.

Disclaimer 3,542,179.Evan S. Prichard, Newport Beach, Calif. SAFETY GUARD FOR HINGED CHUTES. Patent dated Nov. 24, 1970. Disclaimer filed June 5, 1978, by the assignee, OhaZIenge-Cook Bros., I ncorpomted. Hereby enters this disclaimer to all claims of said patent.

[Oficial Gazette, June 1?, 1980.] 

